Digital identity

            Digital identity has become increasingly prominent in defining Americans, particularly over the past few decades with the staggering improvements and modification of technology. The most recognizable worldwide digital companies have been the creation and development of American innovators, such as Youtube and Facebook. The article from CNN featuring this issue, raises concerns over the idea of digital immigrants being 'a relic of the past' and summarizes these two conflicting terms as the "generational switchover where people are defined by the technological culture which they're familiar with."

            Prensky, the producer of these terms and this argument between Native and Immigrant argues that any slowdown in the digital age is a "myth," as innovation will only press forward "faster... And faster and faster." This is evident over 10 years after Prensky introduced this issue as can be seen by any statistics on the subject. The Social Networking Fact Sheet by the Pew Internet Researchers reveals that as of September 2013, 73% of online adults use social networking sites. Facebook, as expected appears to come out at the top with 71% of online adults use this site. Most interestingly is the jump figures such as these have made in the past decade alone; between February 2005 and August 2006, the use of social networking sites among young adult internet users ages 18-29 jumped from 9% to 49%. Also, between the years 2005 and 2013, 90% of 18-29 years old internet users were using social networking in comparison to 46% 65+ year olds. This continues to reveal that this is something that has been embraced in particular by young people, hence the term used to describe them (digital native) and there is clearly a divide here between this group and the older generation (digital immigrants).

            However, there is a group of people outside America who have not joined the group, not just digital immigrants. That is those who are poverty stricken, as the CNN article states: "As technology filters into every corner of the globe and tech cities spring up in some unlikely places from Bangalore to Tel Aviv, a new gulf is emerging to separate the digitally savvy from the disconnected: Poverty. According to Shah, Prensky's views were formed from the "privileged" position of living in the U.S. Shah added: "[Prensky's] observations may describe a generation gap that the U.S. faced, but if you transplant the same definition to other parts of the world, natives are sometimes indistinguishable from immigrants."

            Another issue for this ever-growing digital world is that of digital identity, this is particularly due to it being mostly based on trust. Significantly, digital identity is something that can be changes at the click of a button, obviously extremely different from an individual's real-life identity.  Most recently, sites such as Youtube are attempting to encourage their users to use their real names in order to post a comment, there is still no way however to verify whether this is their true identity. Therefore, it is difficult to predict where digital identity will be in the future or indeed whether the gap between natives and immigrants will decrease; however as Prensky argued over a decade ago it seems clear that this is something that most definitely will not be slowing down any time soon.

           

Sources:

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/04/business/digital-native-prensky/index.html

http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheets/social-networking-fact-sheet/

Obamacare

http://www.gop.com/news/research/the-case-against-obamacare/

This webpage from the website GOP.com reveals several different arguments against 'Obamacare' or ACA. GOP's (The 'Grand Old Party') more official title being the Republican Party makes it more inevitable that they will fight against this act their political rivals have passed.  From the five reasons given against Obamacare it is clear that despite its claims to improve health care across America, there will be huge costs for them to pay. In particular, the insurance they are expected to pay in order to reap the benefits of the supposedly better health care which this webpage focuses on in their second point.

The fourth point given by the Republican party is that it will produce a significant rise in taxes, something which Americans appear to be strongly opposed to. Many disagree with the idea that the money they put in will not only be used to look after yourself but also many others in the country, particularly as a considerable amount of Americans cannot afford this.

However, it seems the legitimacy of the claims made on this website can be questioned as the majority of sources and quotes used to put across their opinion come from newspapers and magazines rather than more official sources. The third point raised, that Obamacare will hurt the quality of health care, could also be questioned as much of it seems to be more guess work than actual data or statistics, particularly seen by the argument from the Associated Press that "ObamaCare May Increase Crowding At ERs".

Overall it is difficult to empathize with many of the issues raised by this webpage as it is posted by the Republican Party who would most likely oppose any act put forward from the Democratic Party. However, the last two points I believe would strike something in many Americans to feel negatively about Obamacare; many I'm sure would not agree that they potentially pay less for health care but more for their insurance and feel it unrealistic that Obamacare will lead to savings rather than further debt for America. 

'The Glass Castle' presentation

My presentation on 'The Glass Castle' by Jeannette Walls looks at how the poverty the Walls' family grows up with becomes more and more obvious and significant for the children as they get older and have to take on responsibility for themselves. This memoir reveals how their parents actions led to their impoverished lifestyle where they went to bed hungry and have to share their home with cockroaches. Something I think is quite significant in this story is how Jeannette slowly loses her faith in her father and this seems to be symbolized when she leaves for New York and tells her father "Dad, you'll never build the Glass Castle."

Question: What do you think is the significance of 'The Glass Castle' and the significance of Jeannette telling her father she doesn't think he'll ever build it?

President Obama and the Fight for LGBT Rights

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tb60nFeJsNc
This video is from a documentary charting the LGBT's (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) fight for gay and lesbian rights in the USA. It includes an interview with President Barack Obama who has rather candidly spoken out concerning this issue and made it clear that he supports what organisations such as the LGBT are campaigning for. He makes several powerful statements throughout this video, such as "No one in America should ever be afraid to walk down the street holding hands with the person they love...." The most influential aspect of this video however, and what could be seen as promoting gay and lesbian rights most significantly is the appearance of many Americans supporting this cause, not just President Obama. Many of these people who are known to be gay or lesbian talk about their own experiences and clearly feel hopeful that future generations will not have to feel ashamed or hide away their identity because of the work Obama and others are doing. Something which this video also makes clear is a hope for even further successful change for this highly debated issue but also a sense of pride at how far America has already come. 

Trust Women organisation

http://www.trustwomenpac.org/

This website is from the organisation 'Trust Women' which takes a pro-choice stance on abortion. This organisation not only campaigns for women's rights to choose if they want an abortion, but also for improved abortion care and  maternal health in America. Their main focus appears to be in the Midwest and the South as they say this is where "women’s reproductive rights have been limited more than in any other region of the country....We will measure our success by the number of women in this region who can easily access abortion and who have healthy pregnancies and safe deliveries." This is also emphasised by the 'Target States' page of the website in which Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri are named as the areas which require the most attention: "These states are also home to some of the most restrictive and punitive laws curtailing women’s access to reproductive health care, and claim some of the highest teen pregnancy and child poverty rates in the country.  Anti-abortion and anti-government activism is heated, high-profile, and often violent.  And the women of these regions suffer."

This organisation was set up in response to the work of physician Dr. George Tiller, who is credited as their inspiration, as he worked toward reproductive rights for women and, rather controversially, was the medical director of Women's Health Care Services which provided late-term abortions for women. Trust Women make it clear they wish to continue with his vision, despite high numbers of anti-abortionists, one of whom assassinated Tiller in 2009.

Overall, I agree with what 'Trust Women' are aiming to do in America, in my opinion they are providing a safe option for those women who want to keep control of their own bodies. This is particularly relevant in cases of rape or domestic violence when many women are given no option when it comes to their pregnancy. Similarly, the fact that this organisation provide help and care for women both during and after pregnancy they seem to be providing many women with a safe and supportive place to go where there most likely would not have been before.

Amish in the USA

http://amish.net/

            This website dedicated to the Amish across the United States reminded and emphasised for me how diverse the faiths of this country are. However, dissimilarly from the majority of other religions in America, the Amish seem to make it clear they want very little contact with anyone from the outside world and "do not solicit nor encourage tourism to their quiet countryside farms." This is accentuated throughout the website by their references to the "Englishers, Yankees or High People (names given by the Amish for anyone who is not Amish) and their insistence that they do not care to be educated about the modern world.  

           The website also appears to focus on the skills and traditions of the Amish people, with very little reference to their religious background. However, any reference to the Bible within the website is clearly taken very seriously; for example: "The Amish people do not pose for pictures because they believe that photographs violate the biblical teaching against making graven images (Exodus 20:4)." Also, in the section of the website entitled 'Amish Life FAQ', questions are asked about their religious beliefs, but even here their answers are quite blunt and to the point without much, if any, explanation or elaboration.

Blackfoot Nation

http://www.blackfoot.org/default.php

This website clearly signifies the traditional beliefs and values the Blackfoot Nation appear to sustain and are immensely proud of. Their opening greeting to those visiting the website, somewhat mysteriously, shows how dedicated they are to theses traditions: " We are members of the ancient line of Blackfoot people going back before time. We are the traditional believers in our ancient ways that were given to us by iits-tsi-pah-ta-pii-op - the Source of Life." Despite this, it is also revealed that they are "alive in the modern age" and that they "use the technology of the present era to educate relatives, our friends and ourselves worldwide."

The continual use of their own language throughout the website emphasises their pride in what they consider to be part of their tribal identity. One page on the website, entitled 'Greater Blackfoot Nation' begins with the phrase "NIITSITAPII AHSISTO (The Real People Declare)" and thus precedes various declarations from the tribe, such as their territory: " The recognition of our Exclusivity of Title to the lands of the traditional Niitsitapii territory (the North Saskatchewan River in the North, and, South to the Yellowstone River, and, in the West from the Continental Divide and East to the Touch Wood Hills); the land which we call Niitsitpiis-stahkoii" and continue to give an idea of unity within the tribe: " We gather together to help each other in good times and hard times."

There is also a sense that this tribe have not forgotten, and will never forget, how they have been treated in the past, often referring to those who attempted to "enslave" them with their "genocidal pursuits that seek to kill us and destroy our cultures" and consequently try to "reject the dogma of mankind". Therefore, overall, there is an overriding impression that this tribe are completely independent from everyone else and this, among many other elements, contributes hugely to their identity.

Online review of Push

http://www.examiner.com/review/review-push-by-sapphire

This review of the novel Push by Sapphire makes it clear to any prospective reader how it can provoke a sense of courage and bravery seen both in the author and protagonist. This can be seen in both a literary sense, by Sapphire's "defiance of convention" in using Precious as the illiterate narrator with a "stream-of-consciousness voice" as well as in the content of the novel, in particular in its dealings of "transgressive stuff".

This review also seems to celebrate how Sapphire does not shy away from the issues presented throughout which many readers most likely do not wish to hear about. As this review states: "The extremely graphic abuse, particularly the sexual assault from both mother and father, manage to simultaneously shock the reader and endear them to the narrator, who, with her limited vocabulary, portrays her pain with earnestness and a sort of heartbreaking acceptance that reveal just how helpless she is to her environment." Consequently, it appears to be these moments of shock and heart break which endear the reader to Precious and the experiences of the people who brought Sapphire inspiration for this novel.

Pro and Anti Immigration websites

Anti
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Americans-Against-Illegal-Immigration/138508922828268

 

This Anti-Immigration facebook page seems to focus, through the news stories posted, on border control and illegal immigrants. It is made clear that the people who advocate this facebook group wish to "take their country back", and can particularly be seen by this status: "If we are to continue as the Greatest Nation in the world, Illegal Immigration must be stopped. If you value your rights as an American Citizen, then stand and be counted." Thus perhaps pressurizing fellow Americans into standing against illegal immigration by suggesting that they do not value their rights as an American Citizen if they choose not to. Many of the comments and images posted throughout appear to be quite extreme, most obviously the image of President Barrack Obama and the U.S flag covering America country on the map.

Pro

http://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/about-us

In contrast, this website for the American Immigration Council is in favour of immigration, clearly seen from the words "Honor, Protect and Promote" displayed across every page within the website. From their 'mission' page it is revealed how they attempt to advance the American Immigration system which is so tirelessly objected to by the previous facebook page; " The mission of the American Immigration Council is to strengthen America by honoring our immigrant history and shaping how Americans think and act towards immigration now and in the future." What is also clear from this website is the idea that America should be proud and wish to promote its diversity and "cultural richness" and want to educate future Americans along these lines. This is emphasized by the many projects and events this council run, such as the 'The Immigrant Youth Achievement Award' which celebrates young immigrants ability to combat the negative stereotypes they are often branded with and the Creative Writing Contest which "past winners have used the theme “Why I am Glad America is a Nation of Immigrants” to discuss their personal immigration experiences."

Therefore, as seen, these websites differ greatly in their attitude and approaches to immigration; while the facebook page seems to occasionally sway into dangerous territory through their somewhat excessive and seemingly racially prejudiced opinions, the American Immigration Council appears to attract many more supporters. This is particularly due to their projects focusing on future and younger immigrants and their positive experience of America as well as honouring America's immigration history which clearly cannot be ignored.  

K 12 Immigration project

http://its.guilford.k12.nc.us/webquests/immigration/immigration.htm

This immigration web project was created by Guilford County Schools Technology Services which provides various different on line learning techniques and projects to schools in North Carolina. The project itself is focused on the period 1820 to 1924 and clearly aims to help the children in 5th grade understand the experiences of those thirty five million immigrants during this time.

There appears to be a particular emphasis throughout this project on the experiences of the immigrants, including that of children (A Boy's Journey), perhaps suggesting that the 5th graders will be able to relate to them better and find it easier to learn about their experiences. There is also a focus on actually speaking to someone who went through the "difficult and dangerous" journey to America and learning about their first hand experience; during the project the children are prepared to interview "someone who was born in another country and moved to America" implying this will help their understanding. Most interestingly however, the vocabulary task which is the very first part of the project includes words with both positive and negative connotations. For example, the words which they are required to research and write a brief definition of, vary from 'America' and 'journey' to 'deformity', 'disease', 'baggage' and 'inspection'; all of which evoke feelings of uneasiness and even fear.

Despite this, it appears that overall the children learning about immigration through this web project would find it difficult to form their own opinions and ideas on the subject; particularly as they learn very little of what happens to them after Ellis Island which is a huge focus throughout. Only the interview with someone who had experienced immigration and perhaps hints from the vocabulary task suggest any negativity surrounded immigration. Overall, it is clearly hoped that the children come to understand "why the United States is called the nation of all nations."

National Congress of the American Indian

http://www.ncai.org/

The NCAI (National Congress of the American Indian) is an organisation in the United States which advocates and promotes the "broad interests of tribal governments and communities", and is well known as the oldest and largest representative American Indian establishment, founded in 1944.

 Its main aims are illustrated throughout the website; the NCAI clearly show they wish to protect and advance the tribal rights already existing and attempt to improve the future of Native American people. Over the past half century, the Supreme Court, Congress, United States Presidents, and hundreds of treaties have repeatedly reaffirmed that Indian Nations retain their basic powers of self-government; thus differentiating themselves from other Americans.

The groups for which the NCAI claim to represent are in themselves quite diverse, from American Indians to Alaskan Natives and their tribal governments, tribal citizens and individuals. In relation to their "identity" as separate from other Americans, it is made clear that the NCAI want to encourage others in learning about the American Indian culture and different way of life in comparison to other Americans. The NCAI is engaged in a wide range of policies, some of which are singularly involved in the welfare of Native peoples, tribal governments, and nations. However, in many other instances, tribal governments are important policymakers in partnership with the federal and state governments. Similarly, one of their main aims is to " educate the public toward a better understanding of Indian and Alaska Native tribes. " therefore revealing how they still wish to identify in some way with Americans but above all else see their "identity" as separate and individual to their "nation."